There presently exists a high demand for new and innovative exercise equipment and other devices which increase the fruits of one's exercising efforts. Additionally, members of professional sports teams often look for new training devices that may possibly increase their performance during a game or assist in rehabilitative therapy. Consequently, the market for exercise equipment and other performance improvement devices experience a constantly high demand. Of particular note is the need for an easily affixed and removable device which would neither impede an ice skater or roller blader's flow of motion or shift position during a training or rehabilitative exercise. Contemporary art such as ankle weights serve as examples of such shifting and motion impeding training aids.
Ice skating professionals typically use roller blades (skates) to assist in their training. The unitary row of wheels of a roller blade skate is attached to the bottom, or sole of a boot, which is constructed similarly to a boot of an ice skate. In-line roller skates are further desirable due to the lack of suitable and available ice for ice skating in certain geographic locations at certain times, and due to the intense physical workout engaged in by a user during ice skating. Also, professionals, as well as other users, desire in-line roller skates because of the different venues available for skating, thereby increasing the enjoyment of the workout.
As with all forms of exercise, people desire to develop progressively, that is begin with a relatively easy workout and, in time, progress to a more difficult workout. In this manner, the user's endurance, strength, and speed are steadily increased.
In the case of ice skates or in-line roller skates, the present invention provides a resistance device that can increase the difficulty of the skating motion. The preferred method to do this is to attach a weight to the boot of the skates, so that the user will have to move that weight in order to skate, thereby increasing the difficulty of the workout, and a user's strength and endurance.
There are devices readily available in the market which attach weights to a user's ankles, appropriately named “ankle weights.” However, these ankle weights are not particularly useful with in-line roller skates, ice skates or other types of foot coverings. The ankle weights of the prior art typically possess straight, linear edges, thereby preventing conformity of the ankle weights to the external contours of a in-line roller skate boot or other foot covering. Such ankle weights are designed to encompass a human ankle only, and are thus unable to conform to the boot of a in-line roller skate or other foot covering. Additionally, due to the presence of more than two weight chambers in most ankle weights, they were further prevented from conforming to the contours of a skate boot, thereby hampering the appropriate range of motion needed to skate properly. Also, the weight chambers were often stuffed with sand to provide weight, and were prone to rupture, thereby releasing the sand. Accordingly, the ankle weights of the prior art are not practical for such uses as increasing the difficulty of a workout with in-line roller skates, ice skates or in other activities using similar boots or foot coverings.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a novel construction of a resistance device, designed for use with in-line roller skates, ice skates or activities which utilize similar boots or other foot coverings, which can increase a user's strength, speed, and agility. More specifically, the invention is constructed such to introduce a balanced, easily removable and displaceable weighted device constructed of a forward and rear positioned weight containment pouches which not only conform to the exterior configuration of a foot worn article but further allow for unimpeded flow of motion with respect to skating and rehabilitative therapy motions designed to increase a wearer's strength, speed and agility.